Category Archives: Racing and Breeding

Zabeel’s girl Lights up Hollindale Stakes

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Lights Of Heaven (Zabeel – I’m In Heaven, by Volksraad) was just touched off in a photo in last year’s running of the Group 2 Hollindale Cup but she arrived in time to claim the 2013 edition of the Gold Coast event.

Shez Sinsational (Ekraar – Original Sin, by Shinko King) beat Lights of Heaven narrowly in 2012 but nothing was going to stop the Peter Moody-trained mare atoning for that loss on Saturday.

The race panned out perfectly for Lights Of Heaven and her jockey Luke Nolen with a smart early speed spreading out the field, allowing the daughter of Zabeel (Sir Tristram – Lady Giselle, by Nureyev) to get in to a good trial, one off the fence, from her outside gate.

Lights Of Heaven took time to hit her top when pushed by Nolen at the 600 metres but knuckled down to her task from the 200 metres to overrun the game Transporter (Commands – Portrait Collector, by Sir Tristram) late. Foreteller (Dansili – Prophecy, by Warning) closed late to get within a long neck of Lights Of Heaven and denying Transporter second place.

“That makes up for her head defeat in this race last year and it might be a good sign going forward to the Doomben Cup,” Moody said. “She was second in that race as well last year so hopefully this is the turning point.

“She’s been a tremendous mare for us winning a Group 1 race as a three-year-old and going on to win multiple times at Group Two and Group 3 level.

“The good thing is we get to have a crack at putting another Group One on her CV in a couple of weeks’ time and the further she goes the better she’ll be.

“She was probably a bit dour today but she’s just looking for more ground and the step up to 2000 metres next time in the Doomben Cup and 2400 metres in the Brisbane Cup after that will be ideal for her.”

Lights Of Heaven’s Hollindale Stakes win was her sixth stakes win of a career that has also reaped victories in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks, Group 2 Eagle Farm Cup and the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic. The five-year-old became the third of Zabeel’s progeny to claim the Hollindale Stakes, following previous winners Coalesce (Zabeel – Essylt, by Artaius) and champion Might And Power (Zabeel – Benediction, by Day Is Done).

Lights Of Heaven is the best performed of five winners from as many foals to race out of I’m In Heaven (Volksraad – Cent From Heaven, by Centaine). The mare foaled a colt by Mastercraftsman (Danehill Dancer – Starlight Dreams, by Black Tie Affair) in 2011.

Sepoy’s brother retired to Emirates Park

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EMIRATES PARK STUD RELEASE – Group 2 MRC Autumn Stakes winner Mulaazem has been retired to stud after sustaining an injury at his only start in Sydney.

The magnificent chestnut colt will now commence stud duties later this year at the Emirates Park Digger’s Rest property in Victoria.

Prepared by champion trainer Peter Moody on behalf of His Excellency Nasser Lootah, Mulaazem displayed immense promise during his seven-race career, winning in metropolitan Melbourne by 10 lengths as a 2-year-old before training on to post a highly distinguished Group 2 victory during his autumn 3-year-old campaign.

Mulaazem’s win in the MRC Autumn Stakes stamped the lightly-raced colt as a galloper with untold potential. The superbly-bred stallion prospect made all the running in the 1400-metre event, ultimately displaying great courage to hold off Group 1 winners Super Cool and Fiveandahalfstar. Also in the beaten division was Group 3 winner Hvasstan.

The performance of Mulaazem to win the MRC Autumn Stakes now looks outstanding in light of recent Group 1 competition in which the aforementioned trio of 3-year-olds has excelled.

In winning the Autumn Stakes, Mulaazem’s name went onto the honour roll of a coveted 3-year-old event won by a number of outstanding colts and geldings of the past. Winners of the same event include the prolific Group 1 winner Apache Cat, the subsequent champion sires Canny Lad and Centaine, plus this year’s resounding yearling sale success Denman, to name but a few.

Though the timing of his stud career has been determined earlier than expected, stallion duties have always been at the forefront of the colt’s future plans as a Group 2 winning half-brother to a multiple champion sprinter and member of the Mr Prospector sireline.

Mulaazem is from the Danehill mare Watchful and is thus a younger half-brother to the exceptional racehorse and outstanding stallion prospect Sepoy.

Sepoy began stud service last season, commanding a fee of $66,000 (inc GST) and covering over 120 highly commercial mares. Significantly, Rothesay and Scandal Keeper, two close relations in this immediate female family, also covered 165 and 159 mares respectively last season, illustrating the popularity of the lineage with domestic broodmare owners.

Both Sepoy and Mulaazem are top quality products of one of the most celebrated female families in the Australian Stud Book. Immediate relations include Camarilla, the 2007 Group 1 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner, and her dam Camarena, winner of 1999 Group 1 QTC Queensland Derby. The names of Canny Lad and Canny Lass are also unmistakable on the catalogue page, being two of the most acclaimed influences in Australasian thoroughbred racing and breeding of the modern era.

This current crop of 3-year-olds is outstanding at all levels, possibly the best seen for a decade, and we were very much looking forward to campaigning him through the autumn and beyond following his brilliant victory over Fiveandahalfstar and Super Cool,” Emirates Park chief executive Trevor Lobb said.

“The injury has brought a premature end to his exciting racing career and everyone involved is very disappointed.”

“I know the family very well through Canny Lad, Sepoy and Camarilla. Members of this female line include at least two individual Golden Slipper winners, one Blue Diamond winner and four individual Blue Diamond Prelude winners. I feel he is an outstanding type, had a lot of potential, and is a great new option for Victorian breeders. We will be supporting him with quality mares.”

An introductory service fee of $7700 (inc GST) has been set for Mulaazem and a limited number of lifetime breeding rights will be made available. For any further information, please contact Trevor Lobb (Mob: 0418 240 230), Bryan Carlson (Mob: 0415 275 885) or Mat Becker (Mob: 0409 501 223).

 

General Nediym mare too tough in Oakleigh Plate

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Trainer Gerald Ryan wanted to abort the mission but owner Gerry Harvey convinced him to have one more look at Mrs Onassis (General Nediym – Miss Jakeo, by Unbridled’s Song) before his decision to run the mare paid off in Saturday’s Group Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield.

An uninspiring track gallop prompted Ryan to suggest skipping the Oakleigh Plate but the Magic Millions boss convinced the Rosehill horseman to wait until the five-year-old galloped on Tuesday morning before finalising her program.

“Two weeks ago when we got that wet weather in Sydney and a couple of her gallops were below par and I just thought she might be fit enough to come here,” Ryan said.

“She worked the reverse way at Rosehill last Friday morning and her work was okay, nothing good and I spoke to Claire (Bird – Harvey’s racing manager) on Sunday morning about not coming and she spoke to Gerry Harvey and Gerry said not to give up so easily.

“She worked that well on Tuesday morning so we thought we’d give her a go.”

The General Nediym (Nediym – Military Belle, by Without Fear) mare justified her connections’ decision with a gritty performance. Mrs Onassis settled on the pace for jockey Kerrin McEvoy before assuming the lead halfway down the straight.

There was little finesse about Mrs Onassis’s effort in the closing stages as she defied her opposition late to beat Facile Tigre (Catbird – Cotton Bay, by Zabaleta) by a length with Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo – Temple Spirit, by Special Dane) third.

General Nediym won the other two legs of Melbourne’s famous sprint foursome – the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) and Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in 1998 – before Mrs Onassis became the third winner at Group 1 level sired by the late Widden Stud stallion.

Mrs Onassis’s grand-dam Lady Jakeo (Last Tycoon – Food For Love, by Lunchtime) won the 1993 Blue Diamond Stakes before claiming the Group 1 William Reid Stakes the following year. Mrs Onassis is the third stakes winner produced by Miss Jakeo (Unbridled’s Song – Lady Jakeo, by Last Tycoon), following the Group 3 winners Miss Judgement (Strategic – Miss Jakeo, by Unbridled’s Song) and Fifth Avenue Lady (Encosta De Lago – Miss Jakeo, by Unbridled’s Song)

Miss Jakeo’s two-year-old son Aussies Love Sport (Redoute’s Choice – Miss Jakeo, by Unbridled’s Song) has shown ability in his short career while the mare produced a Fastnet Rock (Danehill – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) filly in 2011 before foaling a More Than Ready (Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman) colt last year.

Seven rivals for Black Caviar in Lightning Stakes

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Champion galloper Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) will have seven rivals for her quest for a third win in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

Black Caviar’s 22 straight wins, including her last-start success in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot prompted the Victoria Racing Club to name the Lightning Stakes in her honour. Black Caviar’s stablemate Moment Of Change (Barely A Moment – Europium) is the only other Group 1 winner in the Lightning Stakes field, courtesy of his victory in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in September.

Below is the field for the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington.

No Horse Trainer Jockey Br. Wgt. Sire
1 FIRST COMMAND Anthony Freedman Steven Arnold 8 58.5kg Commands
2 GOLDEN ARCHER Peter G Moody Daniel Stackhouse 1 58.5kg Rock Of Gibraltar
3 MOMENT OF CHANGE Peter G Moody Ms Linda Meech 3 58.5kg Barely A Moment
4 GO THE KNUCKLE Robert Smerdon Nicholas Hall 5 58.5kg Elvstroem
5 SPIRIT CENT John Leek (Jnr) Kerrin McEvoy 7 58.5kg Invincible Spirit
6 BLACK CAVIAR Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 2 56.5kg Bel Esprit
7 SATIN SHOES Clarry Conners Craig Williams 6 56.5kg Flying Spur
8 SHAMEXPRESS Danny O’Brien Glen Boss 4 55.5kg O’Reilly

 

 

Savabeel’s Sangster bounces back for another Group 1 win

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According to trainer Trent Busuttin, maturity issues consigned the 2011 Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) Sangster (Savabeel – Quinta Special, by Spectrum) to a winless 16 months but that ended when the four-year-old blitzed his opposition in the Group 1 International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.

Sangster won the Victoria Derby at his eighth start but the victory proved to be a false dawn for the gelding, who managed only one placing in eight starts before his International Stakes win.

The four-year-old showed he was ready to show his best form with his second to Glad (Pins – McHappy, by Rory’s Jester) in the Listed Anniversary Handicap (1600m) before the son of Savabeel (Zabeel – Savannah Success, by Success Express) thrived on the step up to 2000 metres in his latest assignment.

Jockey Opie Bosson had to earn his riding fee on Sangster in the first half of the race. Luck deserted him in the run to the first turn, which left Sangster posted three-deep from barrier eight until the pace dropped off as the field travelled down the back straight.

Bosson corrected the problem by taking Sangster forward to sit second behind the eventual runner-up Dolmabache (Redoute’s Choice – Our Echezeaux, by Zabeel). The race changed complexion at the 1000 metres when Revolt (Thorn Park – Rebellious Angel, by Success Express) whipped around the field to inject some pace into the $NZ200,000 event but Sangster remained in his comfort zone, primed for a finishing burst in the straight.

Dolmabache regained the lead early in the straight but was no match for Sangster’s dash when Bosson asked him for an effort at the 300 metres. Sangster quickened impressively to end the race as a contest at the 100 metres before driving clear to score by almost three lengths.

“They all go on about VRC Derby horses not coming back but I don’t believe any of that,” Busuttin, who trains Sangster in partnership with his fiancée Natalie Young, told the New Zealand Herald. “Efficient, Octagonal, Tie The Knot, Diatribe, Lion Tamer – they’ve all come back afterwards and this horse is no different.

“He’s taken time to mature fully and last autumn he just wasn’t letting down on those firm tracks. Before his last start at Trentham I said there was another big win coming and my only worry today was the firm track.”

Sangster is one of three Group 1 winners sired by the Waikato Stud-based Savabeel. The dual Group 1 winner was passed in for $NZ22,500 at the 2010 NZB Select Sale while Quinta Special (Spectrum – Al Galop, by Affirmed) last foaled an unnamed sister to Sangster in 2010.

 

Third Group 1 win for Kashani mare in Waikato Sprint

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Kashani (Danzig – Kashan, by Damascus) mare Final Touch (Kashani – My Lydia, by Umatilla) continued her golden summer campaign with another outstanding Group 1 win in Saturday’s Waikato Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa.

Final Touch has proven to be the find of the New Zealand summer carnival with the Waikato Sprint being the third Group 1 win of a preparation that began with a defeat in a nondescript race over 1000 metres at Riccarton in September last year.

Final Touch scored her second stakes victory in the Listed Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes before recording the first Group 1 win for her sire Kashani with her success in the Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.

The mare repeated the effort two starts later in the Group 1 Telegraph Handicap (1200m), defeating Xanadu (Elusive City – Forest Dream, by Forest Glow) before the mares filled the first two placings in the Waikato Sprint.

Regular rider Chris Johnson parked Final Touch midfield on the fence before angling the five-year-old into clear running rounding the home turn. Final Touch showed her now customary acceleration to swamp the front-runners with 100 metres to run before Johnson eased up on the mare in the closing stages.

Xanadu hit the line well to finish 1-1/4 lengths away while dual Group 2 winner Zurella (Zabeel – Doneze Girl, by Volksraad) caught the eye with her terrific third after coming from the tail of the field.

Co-trainer Karen Parsons told The Informant Final Touch had some trouble adjusting to changed circumstances in the week leading up to the Waikato Sprint but the mare’s antics on the morning of the race inspired confidence.

She’s just so laid-back, she saves it all for raceday,” Parsons, who bred, owns and co-trains Final Touch with her husband John, said. “Whether we gallop her with our sackers or our fastest horse she’s just the same, she just does what she has to.

“Mind you, I wasn’t so sure how she would go today. After I had sent her paddock-mate Arietta home she had sulked and really missed her, but I stopped worrying this morning.

“When we went out to bring her in to come to the races it took ages to catch her – that was enough to tell me she was feeling alright.”

Parsons said Final Touch was nearing a well-earned break but she could tackle the Group 1 Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) on February 23.

All Too Hard wins CF Orr for new owners

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His superstar half-sister Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) won last year’s Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) but was never under the pressure All Too Hard (Casino Prince – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) was before his success in Saturday’s renewal of the Caulfield feature.

Thankfully, horses probably don’t know a lot about the expectations owners place on them. All Too Hard has the unenviable task of repaying his new owners’ outlay of more than $20 million that they spent to buy the colt as part of a blockbuster deal with Patinack Farm founder Nathan Tinkler.

All Too Hard carried the Patinack Farm colours to victory in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas in the spring, assuring his stud career, to accompany his three two-year-old stakes wins, which included two a Group 2 level.

The son of Casino Prince (Flying Spur – Lady Capel, by Last Tycoon) stepped out in Vinery Stud’s green and white silks for the first time in the CF Orr Stakes, which was the seventh race of a meeting dominated by the on-pacers but co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said he instructed jockey Dwayne Dunn to ride All Too Had confidently.

“The way the races have been run here today, it has been fairly leader biased and there hasn’t been much coming from behind,” Hawkes, who trains All Too Hard in partnership with his father John and brother Michael, said.

“The last thing I said (to Dunn) was, ‘you are on the best horse and ride him like it’.”

Dunn followed Hawkes’s instructions, letting All Too Hard find his feet back in the field before the colt’s terrific acceleration enabled him to make up ground quickly when asked at the 600 metres.

All Too Hard first ended the chances of Kiwi star (King) Mufhasa (Pentire – Sheila Cheval, by Mi Preferido) adding to his haul of 10 Group 1 wins before forging to the lead inside the 150 metres.

All Too Hard understandably tired a touch in the final 50 metres but had a half-length to spare over returning stayers Mawingo (Tertullian – Montfleur, by Sadler’s Wells) and Mr Moet (Mosayter – Marlock Miss, by Karioi Star).

Hawkes said All Too Hard was far from fully fit for the first outing of a campaign what would probably include a trip to England for an attempt to emulate Black Caviar with a win at the Royal Ascot carnival before his begins his duties at Vinery Stud next season.

“The pressure is on but you want to keep his record intact and make everything right,” Hawkes said. “He’s not screwed down yet. Where he’s going to end up, we’re not sure yet but you can’t do much more than win first-up over seven furlongs.

“He’s never done that before. He’ll be having a big blow because he’s a big boy. There was a lot of pressure on him too. He’s worth a lot of money and we had done our job but he has the final say. All credit where it is due.”

Brother to Frankel foaled at Banstead Manor

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Danehill (Danzig – Razyana, by His Majesty) mare Kind (Danehill – Rainbow Lake, by Rainbow Quest)  foaled a brother to super racehorse Frankel (Galileo – Kind, by Danehill) at Banstead Manor Stud last Saturday.

Frankel retired at the end of 2012 with 14 wins from as many starts during a wonderful career that included 10 Group 1 wins for his owner, Juddmonte Farms principal Prince Khalid Abdullah.

Kind and her latest colt, a brother to champion galloper Frankel, foaled last Saturday. Photo: Juddmonte Farms

Frankel earned a rating of 140 in the2012 International Federation of Horseracing Authorities assessments to become the highest-rated horse in the history of the World Thoroughbred Rankings.

Banstead Manor Stud manager Simon Mockridge described the newborn chestnut colt as “attractive with size and scope”.

The colt is the fifth from six horses foaled by Kind with another two of her sons – Bullet Train (Sadler’s Wells – Kind, by Danehill) and Noble Mission (Galileo – Kind, by Danehill) – managing Group 3 wins while competing in Frankel’s illustrious career.

Juddmonte Farms general manager Philip Mitchell confirmed Galileo would serve Kind again in 2013.

 

Stakes running double for O’Reilly at Wingatui

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Six-year-old mare Monashee (O’Reilly – Kincia, by Kinjite) waited 36 starts for her first crack at stakes racing but the jump in class held no fears for her in her runaway win in the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) at Wingatui.

Monashee achieved a career-best result when she won over 2000 metres in open company three starts back before relishing her second attempt at 2400 metres in Saturday’s staying feature.

The John and Karen Parsons-trained stayer settled midfield before circling the field from the 800 metres. Monashee joined the leaders at the top of the straight before racing away under the riding of jockey Kylie Williams to score by a widening 6-1/2 lengths.

Williams helped Waikato Stud stallion O’Reilly (Last Tycoon – Courtza, by Pompeii Court) to a running double at Wingatui when she steered talented five-year-old Ric O’Shea (O’Reilly – Fellowship, by Success Express) to his maiden stakes win in the Group 3 White Robe Lodge Handicap (1600m).

Ric O’Shea raced midfield early before improving into the race from the 600 metres. The Steven Prince-trained gelding proved too strong for his opposition in the straight, defeating the fast-finishing Natuzzi (Coats Choice – Monsanto, by Kilimanjaro) by a length.

O’Reilly’s dual success took his stakes winner tally to 63. The stallion’s stock averaged a respectable $NZ146,894 from 33 lots sold at this week’s NZB Premier Sale at Karaka.

 

10-minute 2YO Stakes double for Street Cry

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Smart filly Metastasio (Street Cry – Libretto, by Singspiel) provided the first leg of a quick two-year-old stakes double for Darley stallion Street Cry (Machiavellian – Helen Street, by Troy) with her win in the Listed Chairman’s Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.

Metastasio led throughout to win the Chairman’s Stakes in dominant fashion 10 minutes before Za Moulin Rouge produced a terrific debut performance to claim the Listed Queen Adelaide Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville for trainer Mark Kavanagh.

Metastasio is not among the 49 third declarations for the Blue Diamond Stakes but her trainer Peter Snowden said he would advise the Darley operation to pay a $55,000 late entry fee to run the unbeaten youngster in the $1 million event on February 23.

“We have got to pay up for her but I am sure the team will be keen to get her there, as I am, in three weeks,” Snowden said. “I think she is a gifted athlete with a great turn of foot. For two-year-olds, that is rare and it is very good to have.

“I’ll talk to the team. It was a Listed race today so I think she’s earned it. She’s two for two so I think she has paid her way in there.”

Za Moulin Rouge, a $NZ320,000 purchase from the 2012 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale, played up in the gates but managed to eventually focus on the task at hand.

The filly settled third in the small field before extending like a promising type to score a comfortable 3-1/4-length win over the Victorian filly Sworn Revenge (Stratum – Dance Of Dreams, by Dehere).

Za Moulin Rouge is out of the classy mare La Sizeranne (Stravinsky – Tricia Ann, by Zabeel), who won the 2006 Winter Stakes (1400m) in Brisbane as well as two Group 3 events in New Zealand.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club paid $NZ170,000 for La Sizeranne’s colt by Bernardini (AP Indy – Cara Rafaela, by Quiet American) at last week’s 2013 NZB Premier Sale at Karaka.

The double strike left Street Cry with 60 stakes winners worldwide.